Home Sick: Shige's Day Off
by Old-News
Summary: Shige is home sick with a fairly bad cold. It ends here. Sorry, folks.


Home Sick (Shigeki's POV)

"_Achoo_!"

Glaring peevishly at the computer screen, I reach for another tissue, blow my nose for what feels like the millionth time in three hours, and flip the crumpled tissue into the already overflowing wastebasket in the corner behind me. It misses, but I don't care. Leaning forward, I click the computer mouse in frustration. _Ughhh…stop freezing, damn you!_ I silently yell at the computer. _You're making my one sick day miserable, you know that? Just miserable. But I doubt you care._

I groan and sit back in my seat, relaxing and closing my eyes. My nose is completely blocked, my throat feels like it's full of shit, my eyes are watery and probably bloodshot, and my head is throbbing like crazy. I haven't been sick in ages, but now I think I'm paying the price for getting a big head and kicking the ball around with everyone last night in the snow.

But hey, it was fun.

Rubbing my eyes wearily, I stand up and leave the computer room, walking down the hallway. I only get a few steps away from my seat before I'm overcome by a rush to my head, and my vision swims. I fall against the wall and lean heavily on it until I can think straight. My headache worsens, but finally I can see clearly. Scowling, I make my meandering way into the kitchen. The house is deserted because my parents are at work and they figured that I'm not sick enough to need supervision. Which is correct, but I'm so damn bored…I'd enjoy some company.

I heave a sigh and open the refrigerator door. I take out a can of Coke—must be my twentieth today, and I really should stop drinking more of the stuff, but it makes my head feel better for a few minutes—and walk over to the sofa. Flopping down, I prop my feet up on the coffee table, shifting a couple miscellaneous magazines and such to make room for them, and turn the TV on with a flick of the remote.

Three hours to go, and then the others will get out of school, and probably half of 'em will come stampeding over to my place with homework I don't want to do, new I don't care enough to listen to and noise that'll make my head throb. But that's what friends are for.

There's a tickling in my nose, but I refuse to indulge it by pinching my nose tightly. I've had enough sneezing today to last me a lifetime, plus the lifetimes of half the soccer team. It's kind of pathetic, seeing as I usually don't get sick. But then again, I've already mentioned that, haven't I? I guess being sick is getting to my head or something, 'cause I'm forgetting stuff. That's strange. Usually my memory is second to none. But not today, it seems.

Too late. Because I was thinking so strangely, I relaxed my grip on my nose. Now I'm sneezing again, and berating myself, though there's definitely something at the back of my mind that's snickering.

I realize there are no tissues on the table, so I root around on the ground for the box. I must have knocked it off when I was trying to make room for my big feet…but it's not there. Groaning again, I get up and stand still a moment to wait for the lightheadedness to pass. I'm getting used to being sick. That's not a good sign. Sighing in half-exasperation, half-reluctant-amusement, I amble back to the computer room and use up the last tissue in the box. God, what a day this is shaping up to be.

Returning to my spot on the sofa, I take a few swigs of Coke as I flick through the channels. Not that I expect anything worthwhile—I don't watch TV for pleasure—but I want something to do.

The phone rings. Not expecting much, I pick it up…but the voice I hear on the other end is one I want to hear: Shō Kazamatsuri, my fellow Forward. "Shige-san? Are you okay? Why aren't you at school?" Then a pause. "Er. This is Shige-san, isn't it?"

"Yes, Puppy," I sigh, realizing without embarrassment that my words come out in a croak. On the contrary: it intrigues me. Perhaps it's just because I haven't said much all day—maybe it's because I'm sick—or maybe it's just because talking to myself all day has distorted my memory of what my voice sounds like. It's all highly interesting.

"Why aren't you in school, Shige?" That's Tatsuya Mizuno. No explanation required, I hope. It'd be a long one.

"I'm sick," I croak.

"You sure sound sick!" says Shō worriedly.

I chuckle to myself. "I'll be fine, Puppy. And if you all turn up after school, I'll be even better."

"Okay! Well, I think Seiji-sempai and Captain Shibusawa were going to come visit today, but we can see if they can come over to your place…or can you leave your house?"

"I doubt my parents would like it, but I'm all for an outing. This house is so boring." I gulp down some Coke to stop myself coughing. I decided to change the subject. "Aren't you guys at school?"

"It's lunchtime, Shige-san!"

"But you're on the school phone?"

"No, we're on Tatsuya's cell phone." Shō is obviously excited. He's probably never seen one before.

"Well, just give me a call when you want me to turn up," I say affirmatively. "'Kay?"

"Okay, Shige-san! Bye!" Shō must have pressed End, because the line goes dead.

Shaking my head, I smile and hang up the phone on my end.

Three hours to go.


End file.
